Foundation Report

Farewell, Mark Hector

The Foundation Board welcomes Ms Alexandrea Thompson. Ms Thompson is a Senior commercial lawyer with 25 years’ experience, both in private practice (eight years) and in-house with oil and gas companies (17 years), including five years working with Chevron and 11 years working with ConocoPhillips leading and advising on commercial, contract negotiation, transactional, and external relations matters as well as providing advice on corporate governance, including company secretarial and Board advisory matters. Ms Thompson has been a visiting Researcher at Harvard Law School researching legal issues in respect of visual arts, museums and international legal protections for cultural heritage. In addition to legal qualifications, holds Bachelor (Hons)(UWA) and Masters (University of Warwick) in History of Art. Ms Thompson is a PLC Old Collegian (1988) and her daughter a fourth generation PLC student.

The PLC Foundation would like to thank Mr Mark Hector for his time as a member of the PLC Foundation Board and Foundation Investment Committee. When Mr Hector joined the Foundation Board in August 2020, he leapt straight into driving and assisting the Foundation’s successful 2020 PLC Student Hardship Campaign. Mr Hector is the Managing Director and Founding Partner of QUBE Property Group Pty Ltd, formerly a Chartered Accountant and board member and Chair of Lifeline WA from 2013 – 2017.

Mr Hector’s two sons have graduated from Scotch College and has a daughter who is currently enrolled at PLC.

50 Years On (1972)

Linda Wayman (1972) reflects on 50 years out of PLC, the life that was waiting for them when the graduated, and divulges what some of her cohort have been up to since. 1972 was an exciting and tumultuous time in Australian history, though most of us in our final year at PLC were too busy living our full life within the school, playing sport, participating in school activities, or simply preparing for our Leaving exams, to fully understand that change in the outside world was ramping up. Moving beyond the irony of the number one hit for 1972 being Donny Osmond’s Puppy Love and the highest grossing film being The Godfather, March 1972 saw the first International Women’s Day march in Australia and a few months later the establishment of the Women’s Electoral Lobby. We may have been aware of the Vietnam War if we had older brothers or cousins, but since we weren’t able to yet vote, we may not have understood that while we were down beach in December 1972 relaxing and relieved to have got our Leaving exams over and done with, Gough Whitlam was elected as Prime Minister.

Yet, that election was paving the way for significant change for us as young women … ranging from big stuff such as Australia’s withdrawal from the Vietnam War, free tertiary education, maternity leave for federal public servants, and the reopening of the Equal pay case for women; to perhaps less sweeping changes but no less important to individuals including the introduction of no-fault divorce and the lifting of a 27.5% luxury sales tax on the contraceptive pill. So, what awaited the young women of PLC’s leaving year of 1972 as, in 1973, they stepped into the world bright-eyed and bushy-tailed with a future replete with opportunity and adventure? Over the past 50 years, the class of 1972 have seen some travel to out-of-the ways places such as Antarctica or Alaska, some who have ridden (twice) around Australia on a motorbike, while another has recently taken up gliding and trekked central Australia.

We have people who have won awards for swing dancing, quilting, who exhibit their art, or who teach people scuba diving, or music! There are careers in the health sector, law, education and others such as a shire ranger or running a marine business, or a dance school. We have authors and musicians; bull terrier breeders and bridge players; and all sorts of community involvement from heading up surf patrols to running a second-hand bookshop for charity, or someone who helps a community in Zimbabwe. Then there’s another whose life highlights included accompanying her mother to World War II reunions in Darwin.

And as we think back, a really good education for a young woman at the beginning of the 70s was gold. And, as recognised by several women in our cohort, a really good education led to much more – it led to choices, independent thought, self-confidence, and the opportunity to forge a successful career.

Equally important are the lifelong friendships that we’ve forged from PLC. We may have left PLC 50 years ago, but PLC never truly leaves us, for we carry the memories, friendships and love for lifelong learning with us wherever we go. And even at 67 years of age, we continue to look froward to the future. Some of us want to have solo art or textile exhibitions; do long walks in Europe and the US; improve our golf; continue to learn new things and develop more as a person; continue with their charity work, and then there’s the person who is going to Madagascar next year as a volunteer to work in marine conservation. And another person who simply wants to buy a Jersey cow. Thank you so very much to Jenny Rogers (1972), Linda Wayman (1972) and Faye Sassella-Otley (Sassella, 1972) for organising the 50-year reunion.

45-Year Reunion (1977)

On Saturday 29 October 2022, the gorgeous home of Judy Smirk (Kyle) turned out to be a most friendly and welcoming venue for our reunion function. It was a perfect evening to renew old friendships, so in these comfortable surroundings 30 alumnae from the 1977 year group were set for a fabulous evening. Proceedings began with drinks and canapes enjoyed with three of their teachers: Di Allan, Diana McArthur and Romaine Saunders. Sadly, Frances Dharmalingam couldn’t make it on the day due to being unwell. After an hour or so, Head Prefect, Jo Cruickshank called us to be seated at two lovely long tables, beautifully set with tablecloths adorned with loads of white flowers and greenery. Delicious food by the always excellent caterer Garry Rishworth encouraged conversations to flow easily. Jo welcomed all attendees and directed everyone to the apologies notice board where special messages and greetings could be enjoyed. Jo gave a short tribute to our beautiful colleague Penny Moir (Leighton) who sadly passed away in January 2021. Barbie Smith then gave an insightful, clever, and very humorous speech loosely based on Helen Reddy’s hit song “I Am Woman”. Everyone agreed that they hadn’t changed much in 45 years, however, the passage of time certainly brings tolerance, acceptance, and wisdom. They were reminded of the incredible power of kindness and friendship particularly in times of challenge and adversity. They all went home richer for their shared experiences and over all these years have truly embraced the enduring companionship they value so much.

The committee of Rosemary Johnson (Breidahl), Susan MacDonald (Rees), Helen Schurmann (Tweedie), Rosanne Dowland, Mary-Ellen King, Jo Cruickshank, Barbie Smith, Lennie Barblett, Maria Bacopanos (Kailis), Fiona Fairhall (Spragg), Liz Prater, and Jenny Thornton are to be congratulated for their persistence and energy in co-ordinating another fantastic reunion event.